The Asian Sarcoma Consortium Sarcoma Preceptorship Program: A Program Evaluation Study Utilizing the Kirkpatrick Model (Level 1 and 2).

Background: Sarcomas, a heterogenous group of malignancies consisting of tumors, are rarely encountered in most general oncology clinics. As a result, most general oncologists have very little experience in dealing with these tumors and resulting in poorer treatment and survival outcomes. Having successful collaborative efforts in research, the Asian Sarcoma Consortium (ASC) pioneered a Sarcoma Preceptorship Program with its main goal of increasing awareness of the multidisciplinary approach in the management of sarcomas.

Work Outcomes and Medical Costs Among Singaporean Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors.

To quantify and evaluate trends of work outcomes and medical costs among Singaporean adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Cancer Centre Singapore between July 2016 and October 2018. Cancer patients who were diagnosed between the age of 15 and 39 years and had completed treatment were eligible.

The treatment landscape of advanced angiosarcoma in Asia-A multi-national collaboration from the Asian Sarcoma Consortium.

Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare disease with a dismal prognosis. The treatment landscape and prognostic factors for advanced AS, including locally advanced, unresectable, and metastatic disease remain elusive. The Asian Sarcoma Consortium is an international collaborative effort to understand the sarcoma treatment landscape in Asia.

Clinical features and survival outcomes of ocular melanoma in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort.

Ocular melanomas are uncommon cancers in Southeast Asia unlike in the West. We conducted a retrospective review of patients (n = 44) with histologically-proven ocular melanoma within a multi-ethnic Asian cohort from Singapore. Clinicopathological features and relapse patterns were examined, and survival outcomes of interest included recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS).

Self-reported cognitive outcomes among adolescent and young adult patients with noncentral nervous system cancers.

Objective: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients with noncentral nervous system (CNS) cancers has not been well studied. In this study, we aimed to describe CRCI-associated trends and characteristics among AYA cancer patients.

Methods: In a longitudinal cohort of AYA cancer patients without CNS disease, CRCI was evaluated over 1 year using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function Instrument, a self-reported cognitive outcome measure.

Work- and insurance-related issues among Asian adolescent and young-adult cancer survivors: a qualitative study.

Purpose: Work-related issues among Asian adolescent and young-adult (AYA) cancer survivors are poorly described in the literature. There has also been a paucity of reports regarding insurance-related concerns in this patient population. Focus groups were therefore carried out in Singapore to understand survivorship issues related to work and insurance coverage among Asian AYA cancer survivors.

Optimizing Survivorship Care Services for Asian Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

With an increasing focus on developing survivorship services tailored for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, incorporation of viewpoints from both survivors and health care professionals (HCPs) is important. This study aims to explore the perceptions of current and prospective survivorship services from both groups in Singapore to propose service design and delivery strategies. Focus group discussions with 23 AYA cancer survivors between the ages of 16 and 39 years at diagnosis and 18 HCPs were conducted in National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and Singapore Cancer Society (SCS).

Biological significance and prognostic relevance of peripheral blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in soft tissue sarcoma.

Peripheral blood indices of systemic inflammation such as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been shown to be prognostic in various cancers. We aim to investigate the clinical significance of these indices in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Seven hundred and twelve patients with available blood counts at diagnosis and/or metastatic relapse were retrospectively examined.

Assessment of psychological distress among Asian adolescents and young adults (AYA) cancer patients using the distress thermometer: a prospective, longitudinal study.

Purpose: Since few studies have investigated whether the Distress Thermometer (DT) in Asian adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients (between 15 and 39 years), we investigated the appropriateness of the DT as a screening tool for psychological symptom burden in these AYA patients and to evaluate AYA patients' distress across a trajectory of three time points longitudinally over a 6-month period.

Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal study. Recruited Asian AYA patients were diagnosed with lymphomas, sarcomas, primary brain malignancies, or germ cell tumors.

Treatment and outcomes of melanoma in Asia: Results from the National Cancer Centre Singapore.

Background: Acral melanoma (AM) and mucosal melanoma (MM) make up more than half of melanomas in Asia but comprise only 5% of cases in Caucasians, where cutaneous melanoma (CM) predominates. AM and MM are thought to be genetically and biologically distinct from CM. We report the characteristics and outcomes of melanoma patients from the National Cancer Centre Singapore.

Germline Mutations in Cancer Predisposition Genes are Frequent in Sporadic Sarcomas.

Associations of sarcoma with inherited cancer syndromes implicate genetic predisposition in sarcoma development. However, due to the apparently sporadic nature of sarcomas, little attention has been paid to the role genetic susceptibility in sporadic sarcoma. To address this, we performed targeted-genomic sequencing to investigate the prevalence of germline mutations in known cancer-associated genes within an Asian cohort of sporadic sarcoma patients younger than 50 years old.

Tumor-derived circulating endothelial cell clusters in colorectal cancer.

Clusters of tumor cells are often observed in the blood of cancer patients. These structures have been described as malignant entities for more than 50 years, although their comprehensive characterization is lacking. Contrary to current consensus, we demonstrate that a discrete population of circulating cell clusters isolated from the blood of colorectal cancer patients are not cancerous but consist of tumor-derived endothelial cells.

Non-invasive sensitive detection of KRAS and BRAF mutation in circulating tumor cells of colorectal cancer patients.

Characterization of genetic alterations in tumor biopsies serves as useful biomarkers in prognosis and treatment management. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) obtained non-invasively from peripheral blood could serve as a tumor proxy. Using a label-free CTC enrichment strategy that we have established, we aimed to develop sensitive assays for qualitative assessment of tumor genotype in patients.